


Coming Under Fire

by sinfuldesire_archivist



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-10
Updated: 2010-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-03 03:27:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8694571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinfuldesire_archivist/pseuds/sinfuldesire_archivist
Summary: Surgeon!Jared, cop!Jensen, this takes place five years after One More Shot, a 25,748 word story, which can be read here -http://www.sinful-desire.org/archive/viewstory.php?sid=1681&warning=5This story is for maria9631 on livejournal who won me in the writersfordwb fund raiser - I hope you like it babe!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the Sinful Desire archivists: this story was originally archived at [Sinful-Desire.org](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Sinful_Desire). To preserve the archive, we began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2016. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [Sinful Desire collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/sinfuldesire/profile).

Jared slowly walked out of the hospital. His feet and back were killing him, he was starving and he had a headache from hell. All he wanted to do was get home and crawl into bed with Jensen and sleep for the next five years.

 

The cold air slapped Jared in the face as soon as he was out of the hospital doors. He pulled up the collar on his coat and tried to burrow down into the warmth.

 

"Jared!" someone yelled from behind him.

 

_Keep walking, act like you didn't hear her_ he told himself. _She'll go away_.

 

"Jarrrrrr- **red** ," the voice said, more pronounced at the end of his name – and coming from right behind him.

 

"I'm tired, Ronnie! I've just worked thirty-six hours, fourteen of which was in one surgery. I haven't eaten since last night, I'm tired and I'm going home. Whatever it is, it can wait until I come back on Thursday!" he snapped, whirling around.

 

The older, portly nurse didn't even look taken aback. She'd been a nurse for over thirty years, so she was used to grouchy, overworked doctors, and nurses for that matter.

 

"I was going to tell you that that gorgeous man of yours just called the front desk. Said that he called your cell and it went to voicemail. But I guess what he wanted can wait two days till you come back on Thursday," she said flippantly and turned to walk away.

 

Jared growled out a sigh and took two steps forward. "I'm sorry, I'm just...I'm exhausted. What'd he say?"

 

Ronnie turned and said, "Ask him yourself, he's right behind you." She then grinned, looking around Jared's body.

 

Jared turned around and saw Jensen’s smiling face. He offered an exhausted smile back and walked over and embraced him, turning his head and letting it rest against Jensen’s shoulder. “Ohhh please, tell me that you’re not heading to work.”

 

“Nope, I’m off, thought I’d give you a ride home instead of catching the El,” Jensen said somewhat morosely. He didn’t really want to go into all the details muddling his mind right then. He’d do it in the morning after they’d both had a good rest. So he smiled brightly at his lover, hoping he hadn't noticed the sadness and despair in his voice a few moments before.

 

“That’s good, ‘cause I’d probably fall asleep, miss my stop, and end up going through the whole city,” Jared snorted as he walked over to the passenger side of the Ford 500, Jensen's police issue vehicle, and got in. 

 

They’d been living in Chicago for a little over a year. Jared had been offered a job with a cutting-edge surgical team comprised of the best of the best. When the offer had been made, Jared actually thought that it was Chris and Steve playing a practical joke on him, but when Dr. Alex Maken assured him that it was no prank call, Jared had promptly accepted the offer.

 

Jensen wasn’t overly thrilled when Jared had told him about taking the job without discussing it with him first, but he also knew that Jared had been striving long and hard for an opportunity like it and couldn’t turn the position down. 

 

Jared then countered and told Jensen that he understood if he wanted to stay in California, and that he would stay too, that he could eventually work his way up to something just as promising. But Jensen only shook his head and they started making the arrangements for the move.

 

Jensen was thankful that he was able to be accepted into the Chicago Police Department and was slid into a position on homicide and didn’t have to start at the bottom. It was a struggle for Jensen at first, because he got the position over a few other officers who had applied, and then had to go through the rigmarole of proving himself because of his “sexual preference”. All it took was for Jensen to finally have enough and punch the ringleader in the mouth for the other cops to back off, and then wrapping up a case that had been ongoing for over eleven months to gain the respect that he deserved.

 

He’d even been lucky enough that their Captain only patted Jensen on the back and congratulated him for punching the asshole in the face and not suspending or reporting him.

 

Jensen got along perfectly with his partner, David Combs. He was nicknamed Cross because he always had the bad guy in his “cross hairs” and was an ex-Marine sniper.

 

Jared fell into his job a lot easier. Most of the doctors either didn’t care or were simply too busy to care that he was gay, and it also helped that their Chief Surgeon was gay and highly respected.

 

So here they were, eighteen months later – both exhausted but happy with their lives. Well, for the most part.

 

~

 

By the time that they got home, Jared was asleep in the front seat. His head was pressed against the glass, mouth agape, snoring loudly.

 

Jensen chuckled as he reached over and shook him slightly. “We’re home,” he said. Jared raised his head and groggily looked around, letting his eyes focus.

 

“Already? That was fast.”

 

“Time flies when you’re asleep,” Jensen chuckled. “Come on, Sleeping Beauty, let’s get some shut eye.” Jensen pulled him out of the car and maneuvered him toward the house.

 

He got Jared inside, locked up and dragged him to the bedroom. 

 

Jared flopped down on the bed and fell onto his back and was actually asleep. Jensen snorted again. He’d seen Jared plenty of times after long, thirty-plus hour shifts, and knew that he often would do this. He actually saw Jared fall asleep standing up once.

 

Jensen just shook his head and squatted down and pulled off Jared's shoes and socks. He stood and grasped the waistband of his scrub pants and managed to pull them off, leaving Jared's boxers in place. Jensen took hold of Jared's hand and pulled him into a sitting position and pulled the scrub top off, letting Jared's body flop back down on the mattress. 

 

Jensen took the clothes to the hamper and put his lover's shoes in the closet, kicking off his own shoes. He undressed down to his boxers beside the hamper and headed to the bed. Jared was still in the exact spot he'd left him, body splayed in middle of the bed, legs bent at the knees, feet on the floor. Jensen bent down and placed a gentle kiss on Jared's lips….a tactic that always woke Jared up.

 

“Mmmm,” Jared hummed against his lips.

 

“Come on, scoot up. Ya gotta get under the covers, babe,” Jensen said sweetly.

 

Jared twisted and turned until he managed to wiggle up the bed. Jensen waited until he was snuggled under the blankets and slid in behind him, spooning up against Jared’s back, his hand slipping across his side and down around his body. 

 

Jared nestled against the warmth of his lover and drifted off into a peaceful sleep…Jensen soon following.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

 

Jared rolled over in the bed, his head coming to rest on Jensen’s chest.

 

“Good morning,” Jensen said.

 

“Morning,” Jared answered with a yawn.

 

“Feel better after that long sleep?”

 

“Mmmmm-hmmm. What time is it?”

 

“Eleven-thirty,” Jensen answered.

 

“Man, I can’t believe I slept that long,” he laughed.

 

Jensen let his hand draw a lazy, slow pattern across Jared’s back and he sighed. “Jay…I’ve been thinking…”

 

“About?”

 

“Us. We’re both so wrapped up in our careers that we never do anything for us anymore. We haven’t had any time off together in a few years. Certainly not since we moved to Chicago. I think that we need to,” Jensen shrugged, “I don’t know, put in for our time off and go somewhere.”

 

Jared hugged tightly against his lover's body, “Mmm, sounds good. To be honest, I was gonna suggest the same exact thing,” he smiled. “So, where do you want to go?” 

 

“Well I was thinking maybe we could find a cabin somewhere, ya know? Somewhere secluded and away from people, nowhere near cops or hospitals. Just you, me, a big bed and a fireplace…how’s that sound?”

 

Jared lifted his head and balanced it on his palm, elbow on the bed. “I think it sounds awesome…as long as you let me fuck you in front of a roaring fire one night,” he grinned.

 

“I knew it, you only love me for my body! I’m so hurt. I think I’ll call my _other_ boyfriend and ask him to go…”

 

Jared howled out a laugh, “I know that’s not true!”

 

“Oh yeah? And how’s that?”

 

“Because,” Jared said, rolling over and on top of Jensen’s slightly smaller body. “You told me once that after me, you were pretty much ruined for ever having sex with anyone else,” he said with a slow roll of his hips. "Because you said," he said with a low, raspy lilt in his voice, "and I quote, 'your cock is hu-fucking-mongous'."

 

Jensen was prepared to give him a nice, snarky comeback…up until Jared pushed his monster sized cock against his own, then all that came out was a shaky, “Nuuhhhhh,” lifting his hips up off of the bed and pushing against Jared’s body.

 

Jared chuckled, “See? I told you…” then he leaned his head down and captured Jensen's lips in a long, slow, lazy kiss as his body rocked against Jensen’s.

 

“Love you,” Jared whispered against his lips. 

 

Jensen arched up off of the bed, his body thrusting up against Jared, wanting…needing more friction.

 

“ _Love you_ ,” Jared said again, stressing the words as if Jensen didn’t understand him.

 

“I love you, too,” Jensen whispered back. “Want you. Need you Jay, been too long…” he said, the words drifting off as his passion continued to build.

 

He slid his hands down Jared’s back, and into the back of his boxers, pushing the material down over the perfect globes of his ass.

 

Jared managed to kick them off and get to his knees and grasped Jensen’s underwear at the waist. “Lift up, baby,” he said, his voice low and gritty.

 

Jensen lifted his hips as Jared yanked them down his body. He kneed Jensen’s legs apart, slipping his hands under his ass and slightly lifting the lower part of his body off of the bed, mouth closing over the leaking head of Jensen’s cock.

 

“Fucking hell,” Jensen groaned out, his head turning to the side, mouth gaping open. “God Jared…your fucking mouth!”

 

Jared smiled around the thick flesh in his mouth, his head bobbing up and down fast and hard, intent on bringing Jensen to orgasm quickly.

 

 

~

 

 

Later, both reveling in their post coital bliss, Jensen sighed and decided it was time to tell Jared everything that had happened the previous night.

 

“Jared, we need to talk,” he said seriously.

 

Jared turned onto his side and looked at him, a frown set on his face. “What’s wrong?”

 

“I got suspended last night,” Jensen sighed out.

 

“What for?” Jared asked, sliding his hand along Jensen’s face, knowing the answer before he actually said anything just from the look on his lover's face.

 

“We had this guy that we needed to question about a drug shooting. When Cross and I got out of the car and headed toward him, he ran, along with this kid he was selling to. We gave chase. I rounded the corner and he spun on me. Jared, I know he had a gun. I know it. I fired - he died. Thank God the Mathers kid got down on the ground…I can’t imagine if I’d…if I’d have shot a kid…” Jensen paused a moment. “We still haven’t found the gun. So Cap had no choice but to put me on paid suspension pending an Internal Affairs investigation,” Jensen said with a harsh sounding sigh. 

 

“God babe, I’m so sorry,” Jared answered, leaning forward, pressing their foreheads together. “You ok?”

 

Jensen sighed again. “Yeah, I think so. I just need to get away from here for a while. I asked Cap if it was alright to take off for a while. He said that as long as I didn’t try to leave the country or the fucking state, it was good. I have to make sure that they can reach me and that I can get back in reasonable time if need be, so he didn’t have a problem with it.”

 

They were both quiet for a moment, Jared absently rubbing his hand up and down Jensen’s side.

 

“God…” Jensen said frustrated, “I know that he had a gun, Jay. I know it! Mathers didn’t have it on him, and five of us went through a dumpster that was right there, thinking maybe the kid threw it in there, but the gun wasn’t in it. I just…” Jensen shook his head, “I just don’t know where it could have gone.”

 

“Were you or Cross paying a lot of attention the Mathers kid?”

 

“No, I was on the radio calling for an ambulance and Cross was trying to help Skidds. Mathers just laid there,” Jensen shrugged. “I know he had to do something with it.”

 

“Have they interrogated him about what he did with the gun?”

 

“I did before IA insisted I leave,” Jensen shrugged. “He said Skidds didn’t have a gun, said that I killed him on purpose just to get another scumbag off the streets.”

 

“Jen,” Jared said pointedly, turning Jensen’s head toward his own and looking him in the eye, “if you said that he had a gun, he had a gun.”

 

Jensen smiled at him, his heart swelling at the total love, trust and faith that Jared showed he had in him. Then the smile faded. “But...what if he didn’t?” Jensen asked in a whisper.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

 

Three days later found them packed and heading off to a park in northern Illinois where Jared had rented a lakeside cabin…with the promise from the manager that their nearest neighbor would be at least two miles away, assuring them that the winter was rarely busy, this one being no exception. So now they were on the road – heading for two weeks of rest, relaxation and quiet…at least that’s what Jared hoped.

 

Jared reached over, his hand sliding across Jensen’s. He laced his fingers down in his then brought it up to his mouth and kissed the back of his hand. He knew it was an incredibly girly thing to do, but Jared didn’t care. He knew that Jensen was beating himself up over the whole thing. “You ok?” Jared asked.

 

Jensen offered him a smile. “Yeah…I will be.” Then he turned his head and stared out the window, his fingers tightening around Jared’s hand.

 

~

 

“Jen,” Jared said quietly as he tried to rouse Jensen. “Wake up,” he added.

 

They tracked across the snow-covered ground and made their way up the stairs, both noticing the porch swing whisping back and forth slightly in the frigid breeze, Jared thinking that a few thick blankets and hot cocoa and that swing would be a nice cuddle...if Jensen was up to it later in the week.

 

When Jared opened the door to the cabin, he was pleased to find a fire already blazing in the fireplace, making the cabin nice and toasty, smelling faintly of cinnamon.

 

He plopped down the suitcase and went to the fireplace and picked up the poker, moving the logs around and tossing another one onto the pile. He rubbed his hands together and held them out. “Mmm, feels good, you should come over and warm up,” he grinned. When there wasn’t an answer, he turned and saw Jensen heading into the bedroom.

 

The cabin was gorgeous and roomy. There was a huge living room, a nice-sized kitchen, one bedroom with a large king-sized bed and a bathroom.

 

“There’s a fire place in here, too,” Jensen said. “You recon we should get it going?” Jared heard him ask from the other room.

 

Jared picked up the bags and headed into the bedroom. “Mmm, yeah, it’s a little chilled in here…unless,” he said, waggling his eyebrows, “you’re gonna let me ravish you in front of the fireplace.”

 

Jensen snorted and rolled his eyes. “You’re incorrigible, you know that, right?”

 

“Mmm, but you love me when I’m like that,” Jared whispered, pulling Jensen to him, pressing their bodies close together. Jared wrapped his arms around Jensen and held him close. “I love you,” he said low and quiet, then he pressed his lips to Jensen’s neck.

 

Jensen took a shuddering breath. “I … I…” he took a deep breath and sighed. Jared could feel Jensen’s body start to shake, heard the hitching breaths that he started to take. He was crying. Jared only pulled him closer. “It’s ok Jen. I’m here. I got ya. Go ahead and let it go, baby…”

 

And Jensen did.

 

~

 

Later, they were lying on the bed, still fully dressed, and Jensen was snuggled up against Jared’s body, his face lying on his chest. “I’m sorry that I’m such a pussy,” Jensen said.

 

“Jen, just because you’re upset because you…because – “ Jared struggled with the right way to say it, not wanting to upset Jensen further.

 

Jensen let out a humorless snort, “You can say it, Jay – because I killed someone. It’s ok, because I did.”

 

“Sorry. I don’t mean to upset you.”

 

“You’re not,” Jensen assured him, tightening his arm around Jared. “You being here for me and not judging me makes everything much better.

 

“Well, being upset over it all doesn’t make you a pussy. It’s understandable that you’d be upset, it’s ok,” Jared reassured him and tightened his hold around him.

 

“I just wish that they’d find that freaking gun. I know…” Jensen took a deep breath and let it out slowly and shook his head.

 

“Jen, I believe you. You know that right? I would never, ever doubt you about anything, because I know you are one hell of a cop…but," Jared took a deep breath and soldiered on, "what if he didn’t have a gun, or they don’t find it?”

 

Jensen knew that this was coming and he didn’t really want to answer him.

 

“Jaaaay…let’s not talk about it anymore while we're on our vacation. My breakdown earlier was enough.”

 

Jared sighed and moved away slightly. “Must not be good news if you won’t tell me.”

 

“It’s not. Do you really want to worry for the next two weeks?”

 

“I want to know, Jensen.”

 

“If the weapon can't be found, I’ll be thrown off the force and more than likely the grand jury will indight me with manslaughter charges and I’d have to face trial.”

 

“God…” Jared breathed out. “Jen…”

 

“Jay, we’re not gonna worry about it until we have something to worry about.”

 

“The hell we’re not. I’m calling Caleb!” Jared said, reaching into his back pocket for his cell phone.

 

Jensen wrestled the phone away from him. “Jared…no,” he said, rolling away from him. “I don’t want to do this now. I want to enjoy my two weeks with you, I don’t want to worry about all that shit, ok? And I sure as hell don’t want you calling your lawyer. Not yet.”

 

“Please?” Jared said, his voice breaking.

 

“Jay…don’t,” Jensen said shaking his head. “Don’t cry,” he whispered touching the side of his face, his thumb running lightly under his eye.

 

“Why not? You just told me that you might go to prison! What the fuck would I do without you, Jen? Do you know what happens to cops who get put in prison?”

 

“You’ve been watching too much television,” Jensen said, trying to lighten the moment and failing miserably.

 

“Stop it, don’t make jokes!”

 

“Sorry. I guess you don’t want me to add, 'at least I already like it up the ass' then, huh?” he added, air quoting the words.

 

Jared glared at him, but a hint of a smile showed. “Stop it!”

 

Jensen snorted. “Look Jared, am I scared? Sure. I’d be an idiot not to be. But I’m not letting something that might happen make me quit living. Am I freaked out because I actually killed someone? Yeah. I feel like shit, Jared. I feel guilty as hell even though I know that he had a gun and was gonna shoot me. I’m sure that I’ll feel like shit for a long time, but I have you to talk to. I’ll be ok. I’m a cop, it was bound to happen sooner or later. And if talking to you isn’t enough, I’m sure that if they do find the gun, I’ll have to talk to the police department shrink for a fucking month before they let me back on full duty. I just don’t want this to stop us from being us, ok?”

 

Jared folded his arms across his chest, furrowed his brow and actually poked out his bottom lip.

 

“Are you pouting?” Jensen sniggered.

 

“No!”

 

“You are. You’re actually pouting!” he said, grinning from ear to ear and reached over and grabbed Jared’s bottom lip and pulled on it.

 

“Stop it! Leave me alone!” 

 

“Is wittle Jawed mad?”

 

"I'm freaked out, Jen! Mad doesn't have a place in me at the moment!" he growled out.

 

Jensen sighed. "You're making me regret telling you. I should have kept my mouth shut until..." Jensen flopped onto his back and shook his head..."until..."

 

Jared narrowed his eyes. "Regret telling me? Are you serious? You really regret telling me? That's just fucking great, Jensen!" Jared practically yelled, whipping back the covers and getting out of bed. When he reached the bedroom door and turned out of the room, Jensen hauled himself up and followed.

 

"Jaaaaaay?"

 

When Jensen reached the living room, Jared was putting on his coat, and then flung a scarf around his neck.

 

"Where are you going?" Jensen asked, folding his arms over his chest.

 

"For a walk," Jared snapped. He yanked the door open then turned back, " ** _Alone_**. I need...I just need some time away from you, I don't like you very much right now." Then he slammed the door, the picture on the wall protesting with an accusing rattle against the against it.


	2. Chapter 2

Jared stomped through the snow-covered grounds, which was mid-calf deep, and was making his way toward the frozen lake. 

 

His gait was wobbly and unsteady, the snow getting deeper away from the cabin. 

 

"Fucking snow," he grumbled as if the snow was deliberately put there to add to his discomfort and irritation. Jared stepped down, his foot coming in contact with a large hard surface...far above where the ground should be, and slipped. He gave an undignified girlish squeal as his body tumbled over, making a loud "foof" noise as his huge frame was engulfed in the fluffy white powder. He lay there a moment just staring up into the darkening sky. He gave a deep sigh and sat up, cursing the snow again, and turning his head to see if Jensen was coming out the door, figuring his boyfriend was watching from the cabin. When Jensen didn't come barreling out of the door, Jared got up and dusted off his clothes and headed back toward the cabin. "Fucking goddamned cocksucking snow," he bitched again, kicking his leg out, fluff and wet spiraling up into the wind and streaming back onto his face.

 

~

 

Jensen plopped down in front of the fire, sitting on the clichéd bearskin rug. He maneuvered the almost burnt out logs with the fire poker and added more firewood, and had a nice blaze going again. He sighed and shook his head at his own stupidity. When he said that he wished he'd not told Jared, that wasn't actually what he'd meant. He only meant that he'd regretted telling him so soon, because Jared had a really tough job that required his full attention and concentration. He couldn't perform his job well if he was constantly thinking about the possibility that Jensen could go to jail.

 

Then Jensen realized something. He was lying to himself. Sure, part of wishing that he'd not said anything was Jared and Jared's job...but mostly - mostly it was the fact that he knew that Jared would want to talk. Face facts. Get a lawyer. Make a plan. And Jensen...Jensen wasn't ready for all of that. Because if he did all of that, he would feel like he was betraying himself. He knew that Skidds had a gun, he knew that when he fired, he was only defending Cross and himself. And if he got a lawyer and started in with discussing the what if's and so on, that he was more or less admitting that maybe... _just maybe_ , Skidds didn't have a gun.

 

No, Jensen wasn't ready for that. Not yet.

 

~

 

Jared stubbornly sat down on the porch swing, pink face stinging in the cold, wet jeans sticking to his legs and ass. He knew that he needed to go inside and change, warm up before he got sick...but he also knew that if he went inside, he and Jensen would just end up in a fight.

 

They didn't do it often. In fact, in the five years that they'd been together, they'd only had minor arguments over silly things, and only a handful of full-on screaming, yelling fights.

 

The worst was about two years prior when they were still living in California. Jared had worked a forty-hour shift, and Jensen had been on a homicide case where some sick fuck had been killing cops. They'd rarely spent any time with each other, and when they did, they were exhausted and run down and barely spoke. 

 

Jensen had said something offhanded about Jared coming home at midnight, saying that he should have just stayed at the hospital since he practically lived there. Jared sniped back something just as vicious, then tempers flared - and yelling ensued. Both blaming the other's profession for the lack of time that they were spending together...and when a shoving match began, neither man remembering who shoved who first, it took Jared's back slamming into the wall and a picture of the two of them falling off of it and smashing to the floor to rouse them both from their anger.

 

That night had literally been the last time they'd gotten out of hand. Sure, there'd been arguments, but raging and screaming fights hadn't happened since...and Jared wasn't ready to start another one. So he continued to sit on the porch and freeze his ass off.

 

~

 

Jensen looked at the door and sighed. He didn’t think that Jared would have been gone this long. Especially with how deep the snow was, the fact that it was getting dark outside rather quickly, and the blistering cold wind howling against the windowpanes.

 

He looked at the door one last time, sighed and decided that it was time to go get him. Jared wasn’t stupid, but Jensen was fearful that he might, just might, get lost in the woods since it was getting dark.

 

He pulled on his coat and was just stuffing his feet in his boots when the front door opened. He looked up as he was hopping on one foot. “Hey,” he said stopping and putting his foot on the floor. “You came back.”

 

Jared only smirked. He was soooo tempted to say, Duhhhh, what’d ya think I’d do? Sleep in the car? But he thought better of it and just nodded. “Yeah, I think we should talk, don’t you?”

 

Jensen swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “Yeah. You want some coffee or hot chocolate?” he asked thumbing over his shoulder.

 

“Sure. I’ll go change my clothes…I’m all wet from the snow, k?”

 

Jensen nodded at him. As Jared passed him, Jensen reached out and grasped his arm. “Jay?”

 

“Hmm?” he said, looking back.

 

“I’m sorry…I just – “

 

Jared stopped him from talking by placing his index finger across his plump lips. “It’s ok, I understand, Jen. I'm sorry too."

 

Jensen nodded and looked down. "Why do you put up with me?"

 

Jared snorted. "Because you're such a good lay, why else?" he grinned, arms open wide.

 

Jensen just shook his head and snorted. "Go, dry clothes, and meet me back at the fire in ten."

 

Jared leaned forward and kissed him. "K."

 

~

 

Jensen came out of the kitchen with two steamy cups of coffee, one black, and one with three sugars and cream. He handed Jared the sweetened one and sat down in front of him Indian style by the fire. Jared was dressed in flannel pajama bottoms and a red t-shirt and looked completely delicious...but now was not the time for such diversions.

 

"So?" Jared said.

 

"I didn't really wish that I hadn't told you. I mean at first, that's what I thought I meant, but then I realized something. I wished that I hadn't told you because I knew that you'd want to talk about it, you'd want to get a lawyer - start thinking about the what if's...and - " Jensen sighed. "And I didn't want you to doubt me. If you did, I don't know how I could get through this, especially," Jensen looked down at his coffee, fingers gripping the cup tight, "especially when I've started to doubt myself."

 

Jared set his coffee down on the hearth of the fireplace and scooted up to Jensen, their knees touching. "Look at me," Jared said, reaching out and laying his hand on Jensen's leg. Jensen looked up, eyes strained and worried. That's when Jared noticed the deep dark circles under Jensen's eyes, and the horrifying look of doubt on his face. Jared leaned forward, his other hand cupping Jensen's face as if he were frail and fragile. He touched their lips together in a slow, closed-mouth kiss then pulled away. "I believe you, Jen. You say that he had a gun, then he did. You were positive the other day, don't start doubting yourself now, ok?"

 

"I'm trying, Jared, but that's not really what - that's not all that's bothering me," Jensen shrugged and offered a humorless laugh. "He was a person, Jared. A living, breathing person. And because of me, he's not anymore. I know that he was a scumbag drug dealer, but he was also someone's son, someone's friend, someone's brother and now he's dead. He's dead because I killed him," Jensen said, looking into Jared's eyes.

 

"Jen, he could have sold drugs to some kid that caused them to overdose and die. He could be held accountable for several lives. The people that he sold drugs to were someone's daughter, sister, son, brother, friend - all of that. And no, I'm not saying that he deserved to die because of it, but you also have to think...how many lives have been saved because he's no longer here? Huh? He pulled a gun...and was gonna kill a cop. Self defense isn't murder, Jen, not in my book."

 

"I'm sorry for saying this, but that's easy for you to say, Jay. You didn't kill him, I did."

 

"I do know how you feel, Jen. How many people have died because I couldn't save them, huh?"

 

"It's still different, you were trying to help them. Save their lives, but their injuries were too severe. You weren't the cause of them being on that table."

 

"What can I do to help you, Jen?" Jared asked, letting his hands come to rest on his lover's legs.

 

"Make me forget," Jensen whispered, so low that Jared barely heard him. "Just for a little while."

 

Jared stretched his legs out along side Jensen, then flexed his hands that were still on Jensen's legs and pulled them apart. Jared pulled Jensen's legs overtop of his own, the backs of Jensen's legs resting on the top of Jared's thighs and then he tugged Jensen closer, their cocks touching through the thick material of Jensen's jeans and the thin of Jared's pajama pants. He cupped Jensen's face and dragged him to his lips, meeting in a slow sensual kiss, tongues touching, teeth raking against each other, blocking out everything but the love they shared.

 

Jared slid his hand slowly down Jensen's face, letting it come to rest on the side of his neck, the other coming to rest on Jensen's hip as he deepened the kiss.

 

Jensen slid his arms around Jared's waist, fingers tightening in the material of his t-shirt and whimpered.

 

"I love you," Jared whispered against Jensen's lips when he pulled away momentarily. "You're so beautiful, so perfect."

 

Jensen shook his head to protest as he went to speak, as if he were going to say _I'm not perfect. I'm flawed, ruined, damaged_. Jared shushed him with another kiss and moved his other hand to his waist, then both hands sliding around to the small of Jensen's back and down to his round, perfectly muscled ass.

 

He lifted Jensen off of the floor and pulled him fully onto his lap, hand skating back up to the small of his back and grasped the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up and over Jensen's head.

 

Jared slid his hands slowly down the finely sculptured curves and muscles of Jensen's back, one coming to rest once again at the small of his back. Jared turned his body, using his free hand to aid him, and got Jensen on his back, settling between his legs.

 

Jared started to kiss down Jensen's neck and chest, stopping to lavish attention on each of his nipples in turn, smiling against the supple brown flesh as Jensen arched, moaned and gasped beneath him.

 

Lower.

 

Jared skated his mouth slowly down his lover's body, kissing and sucking, his hands already working the button and zipper of Jensen's jeans and slipping his hand inside, fingers wrapping around hard, steely flesh and slowly stroking.

 

"Nuh, Jay - uh, Jared...." Jensen whispered against his lips. "Please," he begged.

 

"Shhh, I'll get you there, baby," Jared promised. "Lift up," he told him, hand slipping out of his pants and grasping the waistbands of Jensen's jeans and boxers.

 

Jensen planted his feet firmly on the floor and lifted up as Jared pulled the material slowly down his body, his ass coming back to rest against the fluffy fur of the rug under them.

 

Jared peeled the rest of Jensen's clothing off and tossed them aside, growling out in pleasure as Jensen let his legs fall far apart, hard cock curling up toward his stomach and already leaking onto his hard, muscled abs, pearly white drops glistening in the firelight.

 

Jared pulled off his own t-shirt, and pushed his pajama pants down over his lean hips, Jensen sitting up to reach around and help him, his hands smoothing down over the tight globes of Jared's ass, finger teasing the crack.

 

Jensen pressed their mouths together and laid back, pulling Jared down on top of him. His hands scrabbled down Jared's back, his nails digging in, leaving crescent shapes in their wake.

 

"Jen...Jen - slow down," Jared whispered as he licked the shell of Jensen's ear, lips closing around the lobe and sucking. "Love you, baby," Jared whispered. "So much."

 

"Love you, too," Jensen replied in a whisper.

 

Jared was going to make sure that this was slow, sensual and loving. He wanted to show Jensen how wonderful he was, show him that he was worth being loved - and not just a quick hard fuck like he was a useless hole.

 

Jared slipped his lips down Jensen’s neck, licking the salty sweet skin and reveling in the taste. His left hand skated down Jensen’s body, fingers gently gliding down his side, across his hip and the top of his thigh.

 

Jensen arched up off of the rug, head turned to the side, his eyes tightly closed. He whimpered when Jared’s mouth slid lower, lips locked around one nipple, tongue slipping and sliding across the hard mound.

 

Jared dragged his thumb across the other, nail flicking the hard flesh, eliciting another moan from low in Jensen’s throat.

 

“Jay,” Jensen gasped when Jared’s teeth locked around the cinnamon colored nub and tugged. Jensen’s hands came to rest on Jared’s head, fingers tangled in his unruly hair. Jensen tugged several times trying to bring Jared’s mouth back up to his, but Jared just slid lower, even when the grip on his hair came close to painful.

 

He gently licked across Jensen’s cock, his tongue wiggling across the nerves under the head and down the thick vein underneath and back to his balls, sucking on the sensitive sac and pulling one into his mouth.

 

“Oh God,” Jensen gasped, his body squirming at the pleasure rocketing through his body like jet fuel through an airplane engine.

 

Jared licked across his asshole, tongue wagging back and fourth, hands settling on each ass cheek and pulling him further apart.

 

Jared watched as Jensen’s hole quivered from the firm pressure of his tongue, the tight ringed muscle flexing from stimulation. Jared smiled, he loved to see Jensen wriggling and moaning like this. He licked across the pink knot again and again, musky salt bursting across his tongue and he growled as he pressed his lips around the ring and sucked.

 

“Jesus!” Jensen rasped, shoving back against Jared’s chin. “Jared!” he shouted when Jared’s tongue suddenly slipped inside.

 

Jared worked him open, thrusting his tongue deeper and deeper, adding a finger, then a second – stretching and pulling him wider.

 

Jensen was reduced to a string of words “ohmygodomygodohmygod”, over and over, his body shaking and trembling.

 

The insides of his thighs shook violently as his orgasm ripped through him, come splashing across his stomach, neck and splattering as high as his chin. Jensen screamed, actually screamed as thick ropy strands of come continued to pump from his cock, his eyes rolled back in head, his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

 

Jared cat-crawled up Jensen's body dragging his tongue across him swirling it in the come pooling across his abs. Jared reached Jensen's mouth and licked into him, letting him taste himself as Jared used his hands to pull Jensen's legs around his body, then finally guiding his cock inside.

 

Jensen gasped in a deep breath, sighing out "Oh yeeesss," and tightening his legs around Jared's waist.

 

Jared wanted to slam down in the tight heat of Jensen's body, but he was making himself take it slow. Jensen needed slow and gentle. Jared needed slow and gentle.

 

He stetched his back, shoulders arching, and slowly drew his cock out until only the the head was sheathed inside. He rolled his hips forward, pushing slowly inside Jensen's body. "Feels so good, God Jen, so tight. Always so tight for me baby. Love you, love being inside you," he whispered in Jensen's ear as he continued to rock in and out of his body, trying to keep a slow pace, but as his passion started to increase, along with Jensen flexing his asshole, Jared started to speed up his pace.

 

"Feels good," Jensen panted, teeth biting down on Jared's neck, breaking the skin. Jensen started thrusting his hips up, Jared's cock slamming into his prostate as their bodies slammed together, the mushroom capped ridge of Jared's cock dragging across the spongy mass deep inside Jensen's channel as they moved apart.

 

Both knew that they weren't going to last much longer, the passion they felt for the other building, bodies shivering erratically as they fell over the precipice, Jensen coming first, his second orgasm slamming into him like a freight train. His asshole clenched, the muscle gripping Jared's cock so tight through his orgasm that Jared's body shook uncontrolably, his dick pulsing inside him, warm hot moisture easing the slip slide of Jared's cock through the aftershocks of both their orgasms.

 

Jared collapsed against Jensen's body, his head cradled in the crook of Jensen's neck. He slowly turned his head, gently took Jensen's mouth and slowly kissed him, letting all the love that he felt for him come through with his gentle touches and caresses. 

 

"Marry me?" Jared whispered against Jensen's lips. 

 

"Jared," he said quietly, his voice hesitant, unsure.

 

"I love you, and you love me. I want to stand out here by the lake and exchange rings. I want us to take that final step, Jen. With you. Forever."

 

"Jay - I might go to prison," Jensen whispered, his breath hitching.

 

"I don't care. I'll wait for you. We're forever, Jen. Forever."

 

Jensen said one final word - just one. "Yes."

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Jared had bought wedding bands several months before, wanting to ask, but never finding that perfect moment.

 

They stood in front of one another, dressed in warm clothing, out by the lake. They exchanged their vows with only God as their witness and exchanged rings, forever going forward as married in their eyes, and both knowing that they'd become Ackles-Padalecki legally in the very near future with a quick name change once all this nonsense with the shooting was behind them.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

A full nine days had passed in mostly a blur, Jared and Jensen sleeping quite a bit of the time away as neither were used to having any real rest or time off. And when they weren't sleeping, they were lying in front of the fireplace in each other's arms or making love somewhere in the cabin, both indulging in each other to make up for so much lost time with their hectic work schedules.

 

Jensen had snuggled into the covers and rolled into the warmth of the bed where Jared vacated when he got out of bed, and continued to sleep.

 

When he did finally wake, he slowly ambled out of the bedroom and into the living room. "Hey," he said quietly, eyeing Jared sitting stretched out on the couch, quilt laying over his lower half and reading a book.

 

Jared looked up. "Hey, sleep good?" he asked.

 

Jensen nodded. "Yeah? You?" 

 

"Yeah pretty good. It's snowing again," Jared answered, lifting his chin, motioning toward the large window.

 

Jensen turned and looked at the huge, fluffy, white flakes falling out of the sky. "I don't think it's ever gonna stop. Let's hope that they don't call me back and we get snowed in. They'd probably issue a warrant for my arrest," Jensen snorted.

 

Jared sighed, slapping his book closed.

 

"Sorry," Jensen said, knowing that Jared really hated the jokes that Jensen made about his possible incarceration. "Would it help to say that it's a defense mechanism?"

 

"A little," Jared nodded. "Come here," Jared said, pulling back the quilt and opening his legs.

 

Jensen, under normal circumstances, would give Jared crap about snuggling, but all things considered, he'd take every single bit of cuddling that Jared wanted to do. So he walked over and crawled between Jared's legs.

 

He settled his butt on the couch between Jared's legs and leaned back against his chest, his head coming to rest on Jared's shoulder.

 

Jared whipped the quilt back over their bodies and wrapped his arms around Jensen. "How ya feeling today?" Jared asked.

 

"Ok, I guess. A little better," he shrugged.

 

"That's good, baby," Jared said kissing his neck. "Anything that I can do to help?"

 

"Just what you're already doing, Jay," Jensen said, sliding his hands down Jared's arms and letting them come to rest on top of his hands.

 

Jensen's cell rang. Both men swallowed at what news could be on the other end of that call. Jensen pulled back the blanket and got up, crossing the floor to the table where his cell was laying.

 

"Hey Cross, what's up?" he asked after eyeing the caller ID and answering. He looked over at Jared and nodded. "Yeah, I got it. We'll leave today. I'll be there in about three or so hours to turn myself in," Jensen said. Jensen's heart broke into a million pieces when he saw Jared close his eyes and his head drop.

 

"Ok, thanks for giving me the heads up, Cross, you're a good man. See you later," Jensen said.

 

Jensen crossed the floor to Jared and knelt down. "Jay, I have to go, or they'll come and get me. It's better if I turn myself in. Cross said that IA is pushing to have me arrested since they can't find the gun, pressure from Skidds family and attorney. They'd be arresting me by the end of tomorrow anyway. It really will look better if I do this of my own accord."

 

"This isn't right, Jen, it's not. They're - " Jared sighed, his eyes welled up with tears, "they can't do this," he said, reaching out for Jensen.

 

"I'm sorry, Jay, you don't deserve to go through this."

 

"Neither do you, Jen. I say we go clean out the bank account and leave the country. Right now."

 

"Jared," Jensen said, shaking his head.

 

"I'm serious, Jensen. Let's go, right now. We'll be at the airport in a few hours, by the time they realize you're gone, we'll be in..." Jared shrugged, "I don't know, Switzerland or something."

 

"Jared, you know that I can't do that. I made an oath to uphold the law. If I run, that's saying to everyone out there that I'm guilty, that everything I stand for is a lie. I'm sorry, but no, I can't do that. I'm turning myself in."

 

"Jensen, please?" Jared said, tears falling down his cheeks.

 

"I love you, Jared, and I would do anything for you, anything but this. I'm sorry, but I can't."

 

Jared swallowed, nodded and opened his arms. Jensen leaned into him, wrapping his arms around him tight. "It'll be ok, Jay," Jensen said, his face pressed against Jared's chest.

 

"Do you really believe that?" Jared asked him, his voice strained, deep and worried.

 

"Yeah, I do. I think that someone will find that gun..."

 

_God please let someone find that gun_ Jensen thought.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

They had already been in the car for two hours due to the weather. Jensen drove since Jared insisted on calling his lawyer and setting up for him to be there when Jensen went to the police station.

 

When Jared wasn't on the phone, he made sure that he was sitting right beside Jensen, his hand twisted with his lover's. 

 

They didn't talk much on the way home, both not really knowing what to say.

 

When they reached the Chicago city limits, Jensen turned onto a familiar road...it was the road that lead to the police station.

 

Jared's throat tightened as he tried to swallow the bile rising in his throat. He loved Jensen more than anything in the world...and he had to stand in the police station in about twenty minutes and watch him get arrested and taken away from him.

 

That's when Jared decided, right then and there, that he would do everything in his power to prove that Jensen was innocent. He decided at that moment that he was going to the site of the shooting the next morning and he was going to look for the gun...and come hell or high water - he was going to find it, or die trying.

 

tbc...


	3. Chapter 3

Jensen pulled into the parking lot of the police station and parked the car. "So?" he said, looking over at Jared.

 

Jared only swallowed and looked straight ahead.

 

"Jay? Talk to me."

 

"Jen, please, lets go. Nobody knows that we're here yet. We still have time. We can just take off and go to like Tijuana or something. Then catch a flight somewhere."

 

"Jared, come on. Do you mean to tell me that you're prepared to live your life on the run? Never see your family again for the rest of your life, your friends...?"

 

"Yeah," Jared said, turning sideways in the car. "If it means getting to be with you, fuck yes. I love you, Jensen, and I know that I can't...I can't do this. I can't watch them arrest you, take you away and lock you up. I can't do it," Jared said, his voice breaking and tears forming in his eyes.

 

"Jay," Jensen said softly, "you can, because I need you there. I can't do this without your support. I have to have you with me when I go in there, baby. Please. You're the one constant in my life - the one thing that I know I'll always have. I need..." Jensen's voice broke.

 

Jared reached over and placed his hand on his cheek, Jensen leaning into the touch, his face rubbing along Jared's palm like a cat.

 

"I'd do anything for you," Jared whispered. "I'd take this burden from you and make it mine, I'd do anything so that you didn't have to go through it. I'd die for you. Right now, no questions asked - I'd give up everything that I am, for you."

 

Jensen blinked as tears fell down his cheeks. He reached up and grasped Jared's hand and pressed his lips to his palm. "I love you, Jared. And yeah, right at this moment, I'm scared. I'm scared as hell, but I know that it'll all be ok eventually. So don't worry."

 

Jared nodded. He leaned forward and kissed Jensen. A slow, gentle kiss that Jensen felt in his toes.

 

They broke apart and Jensen pulled the keys out of the ignition and handed them to Jared. "Well, let's go and get this over with."

 

"Jared?" Jensen said before Jared opened the car door.

 

"Yeah?"

 

Jensen reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet and handed it to Jared. Then he sighed and reached for his wedding band. "They don't let you have anything personal on you during lock up," he said pulling the ring off. He picked up Jared's hand and slipped his ring on Jared's finger. "Keep it safe for me?"

 

Jared nodded and blinked a single tear, the wet falling in a zig-zag pattern down his cheek.

 

~

 

They came into the police station hand in hand. A few officers stood upon them entering, one - a slightly out of shape man that smirked, "Well if it isn't Lone Wolf McQuaid."

 

"Shut the fuck up, Norton," Captain Thomas said, coming out of his office. He walked up to Jensen. "So?"

 

"I'm here to turn myself in, Cap," Jensen said, shrugging.

 

Norton smirked even wider and walked over, pulling his handcuffs from their place on his belt.

 

"Captain Thomas?" Jensen said, looking him in the eye.

 

"Yeah?" 

 

"You or Cross, not him...he's an asshole," Jensen said, nodding to Norton.

 

A sigh could be heard from behind Jensen. Jensen turned around at the same time Jared did, and they both saw Jensen's partner walking toward them. 

 

He stepped up to Jensen, and Jensen turned around and put his hands behind his back so that Cross could handcuff him. "Not gonna happen, Jensen. I don't think you're gonna fight me, are you?"

 

"No," Jensen answered, turning to face him.

 

Cross cleared his throat and began. "Jensen Ackles, you are under arrest for the murder of Marshall Skidds. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you by the court. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"

 

"Yes, I understand."

 

"Alright, let's go," Cross said, patting Jensen on the back.

 

"A second?" Jensen asked, motioning to Jared.

 

Cross nodded and stepped aside. 

 

Jensen walked the few steps between himself and Jared, stopping right in front of his husband. "It'll be ok," he said quietly.

 

Jared nodded, swiping at his eyes.

 

Jensen hugged him tightly, kissed him, and then pulled away, allowing Cross to escort him back to lock up.

 

Jared sighed and looked over at Captain Thomas. "How - " Jared cleared his throat and let out a shuddering breath of air, making a 'whoo' sound, "how soon will we find out anything about bail?"

 

"Well, it's Saturday, so not until Monday, and that's if they can even get to him on Monday. It could be later in the week."

 

Jared growled a very frustrated sigh. "Would you have any clue what his bail could be?"

 

Captain Thomas shrugged. "I've seen bail set anywhere from two hundred thousand to five million, it all depends on the judge. The prosecution will ask for high bail, Jensen's lawyer will ask for lower, but it all really depends on what the judge feels is appropriate."

 

"Five million? Bail is usually ten percent of that, I don't...I don't have half a million dollars," Jared said in a panic.

 

"Don't worry kid, I don't think it'll be that high, I wanted you to be prepared just in case."

 

"Where are you going to be holding him? I mean, if it’s county lock up…he could get killed in there, and..."

 

"We're holding him here. I'm not taking the chance that someone could hurt him. I know Jensen's pretty good in a fight one on one, but with a prison full of criminals, he'd be a sitting duck in general population. I don't think that we'll have much flack about holding him in the jail."

 

"Will I be able to see him, like tomorrow?"

 

"Call me tomorrow. After I get done with IA bitching about it, ok?"

 

Jared nodded and sat down in the lobby, waiting for Caleb to show up. He wanted a chance to talk to him before he went in to see Jensen.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

 

Jared didn't sleep Saturday night when he got home, nor did he sleep on Sunday. He'd called the police station to see about visiting Jensen and had been told by Captain Thomas that it would probably be better to wait a few days because IA had been there all day demanding that Jensen be moved.

 

Jared called work and scheduled more time off, his boss understanding and telling him to take as much time as he needed.

 

Then he started watching the clock and waiting for the phone calls to come flooding in. Jensen had called his parents from the cabin and let them know what was going on, and Jared called his parents and then Steve and Chris.

 

He wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone even though their comforting words could possibly help. Jared let his head flop back on the couch and sighed, turned it to the right and eyed the liquor cabinet staring back at him.

 

He got up, making it across the floor in three long strides, and pulled open the door. He looked at the contents, reached in and grabbed a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue. If he was gonna drink it straight, might as well be something that wasn't gonna burn.

 

He took three long swigs straight from the bottle, then poured a tumbler full, and headed back to the couch, bottle and glass both in hand. And continued to drink.

 

~

 

Jared woke at around noon, his head pounding, stomach gurgling and desperately needing a toilet. He wasn't sure if he needed to pee or throw up, but he managed to get off of the couch and head toward the bathroom. As he walked down the hall, realization setting in, he went into full-on panic mode when he saw what time it was. He ran back to the living room and found his cell and dialed the police station.

 

"Captain Thomas, please." Jared stood tapping his foot until he answered.

 

"Jared, where in the hell have you been? I've been calling you for three hours!"

 

"You’ve been calling me? Why have you been calling me? Oh my God, is Jensen ok?" he gasped.

 

"Yeah, he's ok. I just wanted to let you know that they’ve assigned his time to appear in court."

 

"Today?"

 

"No, Jared, I'm sorry. Chicago is a huge town, and there are a lot of criminals who have to be seen, he won't come before the judge until Wednesday morning."

 

"Wednesday? What the fuck?" he yelled.

 

Captain Thomas said nothing.

 

"Sorry. I know that it's not your fault. Are you sure that they can't do it sooner?"

 

"No. I talked to Caleb about an hour ago. He said that he called you, too, and couldn't get through. Said he just kept getting your voicemail."

 

Jared sighed. "Yeah, I had a rough night. Can I come see him?"

 

"Yeah, I'll let you see him. It can't be a very long visit though, Jared. IA is breathing down my neck, and if they suspect something, anything...they'll get a court order and have him yanked out of this jail and put in county quicker than you can say crack whore, you understand?"

 

"Yeah. I'll be there in about an hour. Is that ok?"

 

"Yeah, I'll be here."

 

"Thank you."

 

"Don't worry about it Jared, I'll see you in just a bit," Captain Thomas said.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

 

Jared walked into the jail and told the officer he was there to see Jensen. The guy nodded and motioned Jared back. He was dressed in the usual police officer's uniform and was very young. Jared guessed him to be around twenty-two years old.

 

"You know, I'm sorry for what's going on. Jensen's a good guy, I know that he doesn't deserve to be here."

 

"You've met him, huh?" Jared asked.

 

"Yeah, a few months ago. I was having a hard time with the guys around here and Jensen really helped me out. I really hope they find that gun."

 

"Thanks, me too, man. What's your name?"

 

"Andy Powell," he smiled. They rounded the corner, and went through two sets of barred doors. When the second set slammed shut, the metal lock clanging in place, Jared jumped. 

 

"Sorry, those doors are really loud. Jensen's back over here. Captain Thomas came in and had us put him in a room to wait for ya. He told me that you could stay for about an hour as long as people keep their mouths shut."

 

"Thanks. Can I - uh, can I touch him, you know - like hug him and give him a kiss?"

 

"Yeah, sure. We all know that Jensen won't try anything, He's a good cop getting a raw deal." 

 

He took Jared to the room where Jensen was sitting at a desk. It looked like an interrogation room but without surveillance, and there was a barred door. Officer Powell opened the door and let Jared pass. 

 

"Thanks man," Jared said, offering his hand.

 

"Anytime," Andy said, shaking his hand.

 

Jared turned around and smiled. He walked over to Jensen, who stood up and smiled back. They embraced each other, Jensen snuggling his face into Jared's neck. "I missed you," he whispered.

 

"I missed you, too," Jared said, pulling away slightly and putting his index finger under Jensen's chin and lifted his head, bending and kissing him nice and slow.

 

They pulled apart and sat down, Jared sitting down beside him instead of across from him. Jared held Jensen's hand the entire time he was in the room.

 

"Nice kid," Jared said. "I think he has a crush on you," he teased.

 

Jensen snorted. "He already has a boyfriend."

 

"So the kind of trouble that you helped him out with was the fact that he's gay and the other cops were giving him shit?"

 

"Yep. I told him what I had to do when I first got here, how the Homicide guys were all dicks. I told him, you put the mouthiest fucker in his place, they'll all leave you alone. He did, and they all laid off him."

 

They spent almost the entire hour just talking, mostly about the things that they were going to do once Jensen was out.

 

"Um, Jen...I'm gonna go look for the gun," Jared said, then cleared his throat.

 

"Jared..." Jensen said, shaking his head, "you can't do that."

 

"Why not?"

 

"Well, for one, you're not a cop. For two, you're my husband and my lover. It'd look pretty suspicious if you found the gun, and three..."

 

"Why would it look suspicious? If I call someone to come get it from where I find it, and it has whatshisface's fingerprints on it and not mine, how could there be a problem?"

 

Jensen could see his point, but he wasn't going to tell him that.

 

"Ahem, I'm uh, I'm sorry," Officer Powell said, "I was told to escort you back to the front, Jared."

 

Jensen stood and pulled Jared up. "I love you," he said, and stretched up to kiss him.

 

"I love you, too," Jared said. "And I'm not stupid."

 

"Well, I don't know about that..." Jensen laughed.

 

Jared chuckled and kissed Jensen again. "I'll see if Captain Thomas will let me come back tomorrow."

 

"Ok. I'll be here," he said with a slight cock of his head.

 

Jared walked to the door and walked through. Officer Powell closed the door. 

 

"Jay?" Jared heard from behind him. He turned around and Jensen was standing there, arms hanging through the bars. "Get some sleep, you look tired. I'm ok, ok?"

 

"I will. You get some rest, too, you look like shit."

 

Jensen snorted and winked at him and watched as Jared walked away. When Jared was out of earshot, Jensen said "Hey man," to a passing officer, "could you get a message to Detective Cross? I really need to see him."

 

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

 

Jared parked his car in a nearby parking garage and headed out into the cold Chicago air. He walked two blocks and turned the corner. The area where the shooting took place was in the alley just around the corner. Jared picked up his pace, his chest starting to burn from inhaling the below-freezing air.

 

He turned the corner and stopped. He didn't know what exactly it was that he was expecting to see...maybe one of those cheesy chalk outlines on the ground like you see in the movies or cop shows, or dried, congealed blood on the ground...but there was nothing like that. It was just an alley.

 

He walked forward, taking in his surroundings. He walked straight to the dumpster and stopped in front of it. "Well it wouldn't be in there," Jared said outloud. "Dumpster's surely been dumped several times in the past weeks," he sighed.

 

"You always talk to yourself?" someone said from behind him.

 

Jared spun around, hand over his heart.

 

"You know, you might want to see a doctor about that," Cross smiled. "Someone might think that you're crazy."

 

"You scared the shit out of me, man. What are you doing here?"

 

Cross raised his eyebrows. "You really have to ask me that?"

 

Jared sighed. Jensen. "Jensen told you to come and stop me?" he practically growled.

 

"Yep."

 

"Are you?"

 

"Nope."

 

"Why not?" Jared frowned.

 

"Because if I try, you won't listen anyway. And I know, just as well as Jensen does, that you won't be satisfied until you check over all this shit yourself. You won't believe that the gun isn't here until you look for it yourself. So I came here to keep you company."

 

Jared looked at him. "Why would you come down here just to keep me company? That doesn't make any sense."

 

"Well, just in case you actually find something...I'm here to make sure you don't contaminate the crime scene."

 

Jared grabbed the dumpster and pulled it away from the wall and crouched down. He looked under it, thinking that maybe there was a sewer drain under there and that the gun fell into it. 

 

"There's nothing under there Jared. We moved it out. Don't you think that at least out of the fifteen or so cops that were here, someone would have looked under the dumpster?"

 

"You know what?" Jared snarled, walking over and getting right in his face. "I'm just looking around. You don't need to be here, so if you're gonna stand there and be an asshole the whole time I'm here looking, just fucking leave. If I find something, I'll call you. But I don't need your smart-assed comments, ok?"

 

Cross held up his arms in surrender. "Ok, ok. I'm sorry. I just think that you're wasting your time, Jared. We've had a dozen trained professionals sweep this place looking for the gun. We didn't find anything and I think..." Cross sighed. "I'm worried about you, you should go see Jensen."

 

Jared ignored him and continued his search.

 

~

 

Two hours later, Cross was sitting in his car, red siren on top flashing, the car sitting in the alley running - and he was still watching Jared. He shook his head. "Come on kid..." he sighed.

 

Out in the alley, Jared continued to walk up and down the alley looking at each and everything that he could find. He stopped at a tall pipe, about four feet high. There was a large cap on it...Jared grasped the cap and twisted. It' didn't budge. He grasped it even harder and pulled on the entire pipe, trying to shake it.

 

Cross frowned and leaned forward, chin almost touching the steering wheel. "What are you doing, boy?"

 

Jared wiggled the pipe back and forth harder and harder, finally hearing the brick crumbling from his efforts. When Jared managed to twist and pull the pipe down parallel to the ground, he began kicking it until the cap finally came off.

 

He then began the task of moving it back to a somewhat upright position so that he could get some of the sunlight overhead to shine inside. When he found nothing, he picked up the cap from the ground and threw it down the alley. "FUCK!" he yelled. "Stupid mother..." he said twisting his body around and facing Cross' car.

 

Jared hung his head in defeat and plopped down to the ground, right there in the filthy, snow-covered alley.

 

Cross sighed and turned off his car and crawled out. He walked toward Jared - his own heart breaking at the sight before him. Cross knew how he'd feel if his wife were in jail awaiting arraignment like Jensen was. He walked up to him and squatted down. "You ok?" he asked quietly.

 

Jared only shook his head.

 

"Jared, you can't..."

 

"Don't," Jared said. "Don't. You have no idea what I'm going through. The man that I love, the man that I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with, is in jail. He goes before the judge in a few days and could possibly have a bail so high that I can't afford to get him out. And even if I can, he could end up in prison for the rest of his life for defending his life. So don't hand me a bunch of bullshit, okay?"

 

Cross nodded. Then stood up and pulled Jared to his feet. "Come on, let's go have a drink. My treat, ok?"

 

"No," Jared said, pulling away. "I'm not done. I'm gonna keep looking. I don't care if it takes till the end of time, I'm gonna keep looking. A gun just doesn't disappear."

 

"I know, man. And I know that I'm not in love with Jensen, but he's my friend and I do love him. He's like a son to me, and I would do anything...and I mean anything, to find that fucking gun. My wife and I never had kids due to my job in the Marines. It was dangerous. I was always gone - and we decided a long, long time ago that we wouldn't have kids because of my career. That was the biggest mistake that I've ever made. But I like to think that if I had ever had a son, he'd be a lot like Jensen. So don't think that I don't understand from some point of view."

 

"Then help me look," Jared whispered.

 

"Man, do you know how many detectives and how many cops have gone up and down this alley looking for something, anything - to prove Jensen's story? And I don't just mean the day of the shooting. For weeks, man - weeks! Do you know?" he asked, his voice edged with anger.

 

Jared shook his head.

 

"At least fifty."

 

"So I should just give up? Is that what you're telling me?"

 

"No. You shouldn't give up. If you do then Jensen has nothing backing him up that keeps him strong. But I think that this alley is a done deal."

 

Jared turned back around and looked down the alley. "It's not fair, how can...", then he stopped talking and cocked his head to the right, a deep frown set on his face. "What is...that?" he said, walking forward.

 

"What is what?" Cross asked, following him.

 

Jared's pace picked up to a slow jog, finally reaching the dumpster. He pulled it from it's spot. When he had stopped looking by the dumpster earlier, he didn't fully push it back against the brick wall.

 

He shoved it a good foot or two from it's spot and pointed down to a loose brick at the bottom of the building. "Look at that," he said pointing to it. "It's poking out...a whole hell of a lot further than the other bricks."

 

Jared squatted down and reached out for the brick. "Wait!" Cross said. "Let me get my camera and some gloves from the car, ok?"

 

Jared nodded and waited impatiently for his return, feeling as if time were creeping along.

 

When Cross finally returned, he took several photos and then gave the camera to Jared. "Take several, ok?" he said slipping on the gloves. Jared nodded.

 

Cross knelt down and reached for the brick, and Jared started shooting frame after frame with the camera. When Cross finally pulled the brick free, he just stared into the hole where the brick had been. "Well I'll be a son of a bitch," he gasped.

 

Jared just stared.

 

Nestled inside the hole was a gun.

 

"Is that...holy shit, I found it," Jared grinned from ear to ear. "I really found it!" he said, doing some sort of bouncy dance.

 

"Well, we still have to have it dusted for prints and...hey, more photos..." he ordered. "I don't think that I would lie about it, but it's nice to have the proof. But anyhow, we still have to have it dusted for prints and everything."

 

Jared continued to photograph as Cross pulled the gun out and put it into an evidence bag. "You know, as excited as I am, I'd like to know who put it there," Jared said.

 

"You and me both, and furthermore, why didn't they come back and get it? Why would they leave it here for someone else to find it?" Cross added.

 

"Maybe they thought that nobody would. I mean, it's behind a loose brick, behind a dumpster. Maybe the brick went back flush with the building after they hid it in there," Jared said shrugging.

 

Cross got on both knees and looked into the hole. "Well, there is a lot of crumbling in there, maybe it was flush with it, but how would it have moved unless someone moved it?"

 

"We've had a lot of bad weather, maybe some of the snow and ice moved it," Jared said.

 

"I think that would cause it to stay in place," Cross answered.

 

"No, not necessaily. If ice got in between the brick and the bottom of the building it could have expanded the area and caused the brick to shift and slide out some."

 

"Hmm, maybe. Come on, lets go. You gonna meet me at the station?"

 

"Hell no, I'm coming with you," Jared said.

 

"I don't want you telling Jensen until we know for sure, alright?" he said. "I don't want to get his hopes up only to have them doused if it ends up not having Skidds' fingerprints on it."

 

Jared nodded and followed Cross to his car.

 

~

 

"No, you are not going in that door before me!" some cop yelled, dressed in his black uniform.

 

Cross stepped forward. "I'm telling you right now, get out of my way. This," he said, shaking the bag in the officer's face, "is something that could prove one of our fellow officers innocent of a crime. Now, I'm going in that door and I'm getting it moved to the top of the list..." he said menacingly, right in the man's face.

 

Jared had come down the stairs with Cross and was standing by the stairs listening to the men shouting at each other.

 

As their shouts got louder and louder, more and more cops and detectives came down the stairs; finally Captain Thomas came down. "What in the hell is going on?" he yelled.

 

Cross and the officer both turned around and started pleading their cases. "Hey, whoa - I know that I have two ears, but I can't listen to two of you at the same time."

 

Cross stepped forward. "We found it, Cap. We found the gun at the site of the shooting. I'm taking the last work in for the day, but Officer Bradenton seems to think that his glove is more important than freeing a fellow officer from jail."

 

Captain Thomas turned and looked at Officer Bradenton. "Will that help or damage a case?" he asked. 

 

"No, but..."

 

"So if this doesn't make it into the lab today, a criminal won't go free, correct?"

 

"No, but..."

 

"Well then," Captain Thomas said, pulling the bagged gun from Cross' hand, "you'll have no objection when I walk this in, correct?"

 

The man looked over and glared at Cross, then looked back at Captain Thomas. "No sir. Not at all." Then he turned and walked back upstairs.

 

Captain Thomas went in the door, followed by Cross and Jared.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

"Why is this taking so long?" Jared sighed, sitting across from Cross at Jensen's desk. "I mean seriously, how long can it take to pull a fingerprint off of a gun?"

 

"Well, it can take a while, actually. Especially if they're partials or there is more than one latent on the gun, which I'm sure there is."

 

"Well, they already have Skidds' prints on file, can't they just compare them and let Jensen out?"

 

Cross chuckled. "Sorry kid, it doesn't work that way. It's a little more involved. It's got to be run through AFIS for a match. And like I said, if there are more than one print on it, it just takes that much longer."

 

"What I want to know is how the gun got in the wall. I mean, did that Mathers kid do it?"

 

Cross shook his head. "No, he couldn't have. We were too close to him for him to have done that. I mean, he could have had time to toss it somewhere, but not get behind the dumpster and pull out a brick and put the gun in there, put the brick back, then the dumpster. We would have seen that."

 

"Then who did it?" Jared asked.

 

"Good question," Cross answered.

 

tbc...


	4. Chapter 4

"Captain Jack!" Cross yelled, coming into the lab. "You got anything on that gun?" 

 

A pretty girl, with shoulder length dark hair turned around. She was extremely cute, and if he were about 25 years younger - he'd be thinking about asking her on a date, but...well, Cross was old enough to be her father.

 

"Yes," she smiled, her accent crisp and sexy. "As a matter of fact, I've pulled three off of the gun, and was just about to call you. I've identified two with matches in AFIS," she grinned.

 

Cross frowned a bit looking at her eyebrow, he didn't understand peircings. Not that it detracted from her beauty..it was just, well, weird. But then again, he was fifty-two years old.

 

Jared was standing close. He leaned forward as the girl started babbling about swirls and friction ridges, neither man really understanding what she was saying. "Why do you call her Captain Jack?" Jared asked in a whisper.

 

"Captain Jack Sparrow..." he said, as if Jared was an idiot. " _Really_ Padalecki, you didn't get that?"

 

"I **know** who Jack Sparrow is...I just don't get why you're calling her..."

 

"Excuse me?" she practically snapped, interrupting Jared.

 

"Sorry, who do they belong to?"

 

She smiled, and clicked a remote control, bringing the images up on a screen in front of them. "Latent number one belongs to one Russel Mathers," she smiled, the screen showing the print from the gun, and the print from AFIS, and Mathers' mug shot. "Latent number two belongs to Marshall Skidds."

 

"Nothing on the third, huh?"

 

"Not yet, but I won't stop till I've found it," she smiled. "Have I ever let you down?"

 

"Nope, thanks gorgeous," he smiled. "Call me when - "

 

"I have a match, of course," she said, finishing his sentence.

 

Cross turned and smiled at Jared. "Well, you ready to bring that man of yours home?"

 

"God yes," Jared breathed out.

 

~

 

Jared was sitting in the waiting room of the police station. His left leg was bouncing and bouncing. He was so nervous that something was going to go wrong and they wouldn't actually let Jensen out, especially considering that he'd been waiting for them to come out for almost thirty minutes.

 

He sighed, looked at his watch, sighed and leaned over to the left and looked down the hall. "Fucking come on!" he said loud enough to be heard, but not shouting.

 

Jared stood up and walked to the counter and looked down the hall and sighed again.

 

Norton was standing at the counter. He shifted his eyes from the paper that he was writing on to look up at Jared but didn't move his head. "You know," he said, "Jensen's pretty lucky that Cap was here to protect his ass," he snorted. "In the literal sense. If it'd been me, I'd have thrown him in county and let those crooks have their way with him."

 

Jared's head whipped over to him, Jared drew back his fist, ready to connect with his face when someone grabbed him from behind, their hand gripping Jared's arm so the hit wouldn't connect. "Don't give him the pleasure of it, man," Captain Thomas said.

 

"Get that outta shape piece of shit out of my face or I swear to God I'll kick his ASS!" Jared yelled out, fighting to get out of the hold on him.

 

Norton smirked and turned his head to the side. "Do it kid, I'd love to arrest your ass for assault."

 

"Fuck you, you fucking piece of homophobic shit!"

 

Norton only laughed and started to walk away. "My office, Norton!" Captain Thomas yelled. "NOW!"

 

He finally let go of Jared and spun him around. "What the fuck is your problem? Jensen is getting out of jail today, do you really want to go in for assaulting a police officer?"

 

"He's a prick!" Jared yelled out across the station pointing at him. "He more or less said that he wished that Jen had been in general population so he'd have gotten raped and killed."

 

"Well kid, he is a prick, but unfortunately, being a prick isn't against the law. I'll handle Norton. He's always gonna have a bug up his ass when it comes to Jensen. Period. Do what Jensen does, ignore him."

 

"One of these days, you fucking prick," Jared yelled, "you'll be off duty and mouth off to me - and I'm gonna fuck you up!" 

 

Norton just smiled and made come on motions with his hands from Captain Thomas' office.

 

Jared was about to heft himself over the counter when Jensen came down the hallway smiling.

 

Jared immediately forgot all about Norton and smiled at his husband. "Jen," he said quietly.

 

Jensen wrapped his arms around him and held him tight. "I can't believe you found it, Jared. You did. You saved me. I don't...I don't know what to say. That's twice you've saved my life..." he said, tears pooling in his eyes. "What can I say to that? What can I do to thank you?"

 

Jared just held him tighter. "What you're doing now, Jen."

 

They pulled away and Jared leaned down and took his mouth in a long, slow kiss, both ignoring the cat calls coming from the officers who weren't assholes.

 

They broke apart and Jensen smiled up at him. "Let's go home, Jay." 

 

He turned to walk to the door and Jared reached out and stopped him. Jensen turned, a slight frown on his face. 

 

"What?" he asked.

 

Jared lifted his hand and pulled off Jensen's wedding band. Jensen smiled and allowed Jared to slip it back onto his finger. "Come on, Jay," he whispered, tugging him to the door.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

 

When they got home, Jared walked over to the couch and collapsed back onto it. He scrubbed his hands across his face and sighed. Jensen walked over and sat down, laying down on his back and settling his head in Jared's lap. 

 

"I can't believe that you found the gun," Jensen whispered. "When Cross came into my cell and told me that you found it, I just - I was shocked. I really couldn't believe it. I mean...I know that you said that you would but..."

 

Jared leaned down and kissed him, one hand threaded in Jensen's short hair, the other resting on his stomach. He pulled away. "Did Cross tell you how I found it, I mean - you know, where it was?"

 

"Yeah. It just doesn't make any sense. Who would have put that gun in the frigging wall, and why?"

 

Jared snorted. "I uh - I have a suspect."

 

Jensen chuckled.

 

"What?" Jared said, twisting his nipple.

 

"Ow! Stop, that hurts," Jensen growled playfully, swatting his hand away.

 

"Why are you laughing at me?"

 

"I'm not lauhing at you...it's just, you sound like a cop... _'I have a suspect'_. It was cute."

 

"Shut up. Don't you want to know who I think did it?"

 

"I know who you think did it. I don't need you to tell me," Jensen said confidently.

 

"Who?" Jared asked, folding his arms across his chest.

 

"Norton," Jensen said simply.

 

Jared only stared at him a moment. "How...how did you know that's who I think did it?"

 

"Cause I know how you think," Jensen smiled, raising his arm and caressing Jared's face.

 

"You don't think he did it?"

 

"No."

 

"Why?"

 

"Cause he's not that smart," Jensen laughed. "Yeah, the guy's a first class dick, but he wouldn't have been able to come up with something this elaborate."

 

"You sure about that?"

 

"Yeah, why do you think he's a paper pusher now? He's not smart enough to be a detective and he's been a paper pusher for the last five years because he's falied his physicals, but he's been on the force so long they won't fire him," Jensen shrugged. "He'll be retirement age soon, hopefully he actually retires instead of them forcing him to."

 

"Why won't they fire him? He deserves it."

 

Jensen was a little surprised by this. Jared was normally so level headed and not jugdemental.

 

"Back in the day, he was a good cop. He's just a biggot and a dick, Jare - that's all."

 

"You know what he said about you?"

 

"Hard telling."

 

"That you should have gotten thrown into general population, and more or less said that it would have been ok for you to have gotten raped and killed!"

 

"Doesn't surprise me, he's a fucking asshole. Let it go baby," he said sitting up and turning to face him. "I don't wanna talk about him anymore. I just wanna be here with you and not worry about anything or anybody for a few days."

 

Jared smiled and leaned forward and kissed him. "Me too, but you know that in the morning you gotta call your family and Chris and Steve. Maybe call your family now, they're planning on booking flights and shit - " Jared smiled.

 

"I'd rather get you naked..." Jensen said wagging his eyebrows.

 

"I'd rather get you naked, too, but I also think that you should call them and save them the money for flights that they won't need."

 

Jensen growled out a long sigh and leaned against Jared's body and picked up the phone, twisting around and laying back down, his head in Jared's lap.

 

"Hey Mom," Jensen said, "I'm out."

 

Jared heard her shouts of joy and smiled. "Oh Jen," he whispered looking down, "don't forget to tell her we got married."

 

Jared had a grimaced look on his face when he heard Jensen's mom shout "Married? Did he say you got _married_?" 

 

An hour later, Jensen finally got off of the phone.

 

"Well, that went well," he sighed, handing the phone to Jared to put it in the cradle.

 

"Sorry, I didn't think that she'd hear me. I take it she wasn't thrilled?"

 

"No, she's happy that we're married, just pissed that we did it without our family around us."

 

Jared bent down and kissed him. "Sorry baby."

 

"It's ok," he smiled. "Now, how about us going and getting naked?"

 

Jared slid his hand along Jensen's stomach under his shirt, warm fingers playing against muscled flesh up to his nipples.

 

Jensen arched his back and moaned. "Jay, God..."

 

Then the phone rang.

 

"God damn it! Are you serious?" Jensen snarled.

 

Jared sighed and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

 

"Yeah, he's right here Cross, hang on," he said, handing the phone to Jensen.

 

"Hey man, what's up?"

 

"You're kidding me, when?"

 

"Do you need me in there?"

 

"You sure? Ok, well keep me posted. Yeah, thanks man, take care."

 

"What's going on?" Jared asked.

 

"Norton. He's dead."

 

"Dead? How?" 

 

"Someone shot him when he was getting out of his car at home."

 

"Wow, that's - that's weird. I reckon he pissed someone off good and proper for the last time, huh?"

 

Jensen just looked at him.

 

"Oh come on Jen, I wasn't being mean. He was an asshole, how many people did he piss off every day? Huh?"

 

"A lot. But that doesn't make it right."

 

"I didn't say it did," Jared said. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have joked. He was a fellow officer of yours and it's a really shitty way for someone to have to die."

 

"I'm going in," Jensen said, getting up off of the couch. 

 

"Jensen, I haven't had you here with me for days...come on."

 

"Jay, please?" Jensen said in a pleading tone. "Don't do this, he's a fellow officer," he said. When he saw the pissed off look on Jared's face, he added, "and don't be mad."

 

"Fine! Go," Jared shouted and picked up the remote control, turning the TV on.

 

Jensen said, "Jared come..." But Jared turned the TV up, ignoring him.

 

Jensen shook his head, grabbed his coat and shrugged it on. He got to the door, turned back and said "I love you." Then walked out to the car.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

 

Jensen pulled up at Norton's house and got out of the car, flashing his badge to some new guy he didn't know who tried to stop him. He walked up to Cross. "Got anything?"

 

"Jensen - go home. You should be on your honeymoon, for Christ's sake. We can handle this without you."

 

"Tell me what you got," Jensen sighed.

 

Cross looked at him. "Looks like he was getting out of the car when someone drove by and shot him. Three rounds were fired, two are lodged in the garage door, the other," Cross said walking toward Norton's car. He squatted down and pulled the white sheet off of Norton's body. "Is still in his head."

 

"Damn. What kind of gun?"

 

"Glock."

 

"Any of the neighbors see anything."

 

"Not so far. We've questioned six of the houses already, and..." Cross stopped talking when he heard his cell ring. "Yeah?" 

 

"Hey Jack, tell me you've identified the third print."

 

"You're shitting me?"

 

"Alright girl, good job."

 

He hung up the phone and looked at Jensen, shock on his face.

 

"What? Who'd the other print belong to?"

 

"Andy Powell."

 

"Andy Pow...no, it can't be. He's a good kid, why would he - why would he frame me?"

 

"Cross," a man shouted, running up the drive.

 

"Yes, Officer?"

 

"The old lady across the street, she was cleaning her windows, and she saw Norton pull up in the drive and then a cop car stopped in the street at the end of his drive. She didn't think anything of it and closed the curtains."

 

"She see who was driving?"

 

"Yeah, said it was a young blond kid."

 

"Where's Michaels?" Cross shouted. "Get me Michaels!"

 

The officer standing in front of him pulled out his cell and dialed a number. "Hey, Detective Cross wants to talk to you," then he handed the phone to him.

 

"Yeah, Powell is your partner, right?"

 

"What kind of gun does he carry?"

 

"Thanks."

 

He handed the phone to the officer and looked at Jensen.

 

"Let me guess, a Glock?"

 

"A Glock."

 

Jensen stood there a minute and headed to his car. Cross followed. As they pulled away from the curb, Cross was on the phone getting Officer Powell's address.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

 

They pulled up outside of a small house in a nice community and got out, guns drawn, and headed to the door.

 

Cross settled his back against the house beside the door. Jensen lifted up his left leg and kicked it in, entering with his gun pointed directly in front of him.

 

"Powell?" he shouted as he walked through the house. Jensen heard Cross shout 'clear' from the kitchen and then the living room.

 

Jensen pushed open the bedroom door and just stood there not moving.

 

Two more 'clear' shouts came from deeper in the house, then Cross stopped at the edge of the hallway. "What? What's in there, kid?" he asked walking forward.

 

When he came up behind Jensen he stood there and stared. "Shit."

 

Jensen walked in, looking around the room in shock. "I just - I don't know what..."

 

Covering the walls were photos of Jensen. Photos of him around town, photos of him in the station, at crime scenes, in the gym, three of him in the shower - completely nude. There were photos of him and Cross, with Cross' face blacked out. There were photos of him and Jared...making love, photos taken through their bedroom window. 

 

Jensen pulled one photo down and stared it. "Jared," he whispered, dropping the photo and running to the door.

 

"Jensen!" Cross yelled, giving chase. Jensen was already tearing away from the curb by the time Cross got to the porch. He scrambled back inside and picked up the photo and looked at it. It was a photo of Jared. Only Jared. It had an X drawn across his face. In untidy scrawl written at the top of the photo was the word **next** , and it had today's date under that.

 

~

 

Jensen pulled up at his and Jared's house and went to the door, which was slightly ajar. Jensen took his foot and pushed it open. "Jared?" he yelled into the house, pulling his gun.

 

Jensen made his way into the house and the sight that met his eyes made his heart sink. The living room was a total and complete shambles. Lamps were broken, funiture was overturned, pictures on the walls were shattered and lying on the floor.

 

There were several blood spots along the floor, which Jensen followed. They led to the back of the house where there was substantially more blood by the door, which was also open.

 

There were tire tracks in the backyard that led to the edge and out into the alley.

 

Jensen pulled out his cell and dialed.

 

"Cross," the voice on the other end said.

 

"It's Jared...he's got Jared."

 

~

 

Jensen paced back and forth behind his desk. "I need to be out there...it's been hours. Jared could be dead!" he shouted. 

 

Every one of the detectives were called in and were all out on the street along with the beat cops, all combing the area looking for Powell and Jared.

 

"You'll do better here looking through all this shit with me, or would you rather some of the guys see this?" Cross said, holding up a photo of Jensen riding Jared in their bed.

 

Jensen walked across the floor and yanked the photo out of Cross' hand and tore it in half, placing the peices on top of each other and ripping again, repeating the actions until the photo was in tiny pieces.

 

"That was evidence," Cross said calmly.

 

"Me and my husband having sex with each other is NOT evidence!" he snarled, pulling more of the photos out of the pile and started going through them quickly.

 

Cross reached down and pulled out a small digital video camera. "You'll want this, too," he said. "There's a lot of video on there that I don't think that you'll want anyone to see."

 

Jensen reached for it then said, "Why are you doing this? It could get you fired."

 

"Because, Jensen, there's enough evidence to prove that he was obsessed with you that we don't have to have the photos or the video of you and Jared making love to prove it more."

 

"So there's shit on here of us..."

 

"Yes," Cross nodded.

 

Jensen took the camera and put it in his desk, locking the drawer. "I'll take it home when I leave. Thank you."

 

"Don't mention it." Here," Cross said, "I already went through most of the pictures and pulled out the ones of you and Jared in...compromising positions. This here," he said, to motioning to the desk, "is all that I have left to go through. I want you to go through this," he said, hefting a huge box out from under his desk.

 

"I don't have time to look through this shit!" Jensen yelled. "He has Jared! There was blood all over my house, it could be Jared's blood. He could be shot and dying! I can't just sit here and do nothing!" Jensen shouted.

 

"Jensen," Captain Thomas said from behind him. Jensen turned and glared. "You're not doing nothing. Going thorough this shit, you could find clues - maybe find something that will tell you where they are."

 

Jensen turned his back to the captain and yanked the box from Cross and slammed it onto his desk. He flicked open the lid and plopped down in the chair. 

 

"We'll find him Jensen, we've got every available cop on the case."

 

Jensen waited until he went back into his office and said, "We got into a fight," very quietly.

 

"A fight?" Cross asked.

 

"Yeah, he was mad that I was leaving to come help. He wanted me to stay home with him. If I would have stayed home, none of this would have happened. It's all my fault."

 

Cross stood up and leaned his hands against his desk. "This is not your fault Jensen, do you understand me? Nobody knew that this kid was nuts, we didn't know that he was going to do this shit."

 

"Hey," a man said, walking into the room.

 

"Hey Stiles," Cross said.

 

"We've found a body," he said.

 

Jensen felt bile rise in his throat. "A body? Where?"

 

"In Powell's attic. Probably been dead a few months."

 

"Thanks, keep me updated," Cross nodded.

 

Jensen leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, "God - I thought..."

 

"I know what you thought. Come on man, keep looking." 

 

Jensen sighed and started going through the box. Inside he found things like towels, a few washcloths, a bottle of cologne, a scent that Jensen wore quite often - and a lot of cut outs from the newspaper...any and every story where Jensen had helped solve a case or made any kind of statement. "This kid, Cross...how - how can someone be like this?" Jensen asked.

 

"Well, you are kinda good looking," he answered with a smile.

 

Jensen glared at him.

 

"Sorry, sorry. I know now's not the time to tease. I don't know, Jensen. Nobody knows what's wrong with people like that when they get obsessed."

 

Jensen sighed again, this time a bit harder, and pulled out a small book and began to flip through it. "Oh my God," Jensen whispered.

 

"What?"

 

"It's a - like a journal," Jensen said. He flipped through several pages and then started to read out loud.

 

_I saw Jensen today. He looked gorgeous. He was dressed in a dark blue suit and wearing the shoes that I love. His hair looked perfect. He stopped and talked to me outside the door._

_I asked him if he wanted to get lunch. At first he told me that he didn't think that he could, but I told him that we had some things in common and I knew how much his co-workers respected him, and then he said yes. I was so excited that I didn't know if I would be able to go through with it. But I did. He gave me some good advice, and I think that he's interested in me._

_I'll have to get rid of Aaron. He's so needy that I don't know what I can do to get him to leave - but he has to go. Jensen loves me. He loves me like I love him. After Aaron is taken care of, I'll have to get rid of Jensen's boyfriend._

 

Jensen flipped through the book, stopping to read excerpts throughout.

 

"The entries get more violent as they go on, like here, he's talking about how I ignored his advances and always talk about my boyfriend. Man, he hasn't ever come on to me. Ever. If he had, I would have made sure that he knew that Jared was the only person that I was interested in. Period."

 

"He might have thought that he was hitting on you in an obvious way, but evidently he was not. I mean, honestly, we don't know how an insane person's mind works, Jen."

 

Jensen stared at his partner for a moment. Then looked back to the book. He was flipping through the remaining page when a small photo fell out and fell on his desk.

 

~

 

Jared was laying on the floor in an unfamiliar room. He sat up, blinding pain coursing through his body. He looked over at his arm and lifted up the sleeve of his t-shirt and looked at the bullet wound in his shoulder. It was slowly oozing blood, not quite gushing like it did when the bullet entered his body. He got up off of the floor and headed to the door and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge.

 

He looked over at the desk in the room, noticing that there were various things littering the top. He walked over to it and saw the peroxide, gauze, tape, needle and surgical thread. "What the fuck..." he said to the empty room. "Why would you fucking shoot me, then give me something to clean and close up the wound?"

 

Jared knew that the bullet had passed through his body, and apparently missed bone since he was able to move his arm. He didn't know how he'd manage it, but he sat down at the desk, pulled off his shirt and started to clean the wound and prepared to sew it stitch it closed. Both in the front and back of his shoulder.

 

~

 

"What was that?" Cross asked.

 

Jensen reached down and picked up the photo and looked at it. "Looks like a house, out in the country," he said, handing it over to his partner.

 

"Cross!" Stiles shouted running into the room. "We found Powell's car out on Old Highway 42, it's off in a ditch."

 

Jensen and Cross looked at each other. "Old Highway 42 isn't very busy," Cross said.

 

"And there are a lot of run down shacks out there in abandoned towns," Jensen added.

 

"Lets go," Cross said, standing up and following Jensen, who managed to get up and lead the way.

 

~

 

Jared managed to sew the front and back of his shoulder wound and place the gauze and tape, slipping his t-shirt back on. He went to the window and tried to push off the nailed-in boards covering the hole, but was unable to get them to move. "Hello!" he shouted, "can anyone hear me?" 

 

The door squeaked open and Powell came into the room, gun drawn, pointing directly at Jared. "I see you made use of the medical supplies," he smirked.

 

"Why exactly would you leave this shit here if you're just going to kill me anyway?"

 

"Who says that I'm going to kill you?" Powell laughed. "Well, right away, anyway." He had a black eye, busted lip and several scratches across his face and a huge lump on his forehead.

 

"You shot me, after busting into my house and attacking me. You said that Jensen loved you and not me, so I'd say that you're delusional, insane or just plain old crazy - because Jensen loves me, not you."

 

"Shut up!" Powell shouted, the hand that was holding the gun shaking. "I'm gonna teach him, show him what happens to people who ignore me. Just like I showed Norton what happens to people who laugh at me, or laugh at the person that I love. I'll keep you alive for a while, just to fuck with him. Maybe send him a toe or finger in a few days," he laughed.

 

"My God, you _are_ crazy," Jared breathed out. "Jensen'll find me. Of that, I have no doubt. He'll find me and when he does, he'll put a fucking bullet in your brain, you insane fuck!"

 

Powell raised his gun and crashed the butt of it across Jared's face, effectively knocking him out, Jared's body crashing hard to the floor.

 

"That's what happens to fucking idiots who hit me in the face with lamps!" he snarled, leaving the room and locking it behind him.

 

~

 

Cross drove down the badly paved two lane road, slowing anytime they passed a two storey white house, Jensen eyeing the photo and saying time after time, "Not it, go on."

 

Cross stopped at a stop sign and looked ahead, then to his left then to his right. He turned off of the main road and went right. "What...where are you going?" Jensen snapped.

 

"I don't know, my gut is telling me to head this way," Cross said.

 

They had driven down the road for about six miles when they came across a white two storey house sitting back off of the road, slightly hidden by several trees. "Jensen?"

 

"That's it," Jensen nodded.

 

Cross pulled off of the road and pulled the car into the grass. They carefully got out of the car and made their way to the house, Jensen turning the knob on the door, shocked to see that it opened.

 

He entered, followed by Cross. 

 

Jensen and Cross went through the downstairs and found nothing and no one. Jensen turned and headed for the stairs and started up the rickety, creaky steps.

 

They checked the first four rooms, then moved to the fifth, finding it locked. Jensen slammed his body into the door trying to force it open, but to no avail. He pounded on it, "Jared?" he shouted. "Jay, you in there man?"

 

Jensen heard someone groan, he took two steps back from the door and kicked it open. He saw Jared lying on the floor and rushed over, going to his knees beside Jared. "Jay, baby, can you hear me?" he gasped. Jensen pressed his fingers to Jared's throat and let out a whoosh of air when he felt a pulse. Then Jared moved and groaned again.

 

"Jared!!" Jensen said, pulling him up and hugging him tight. "Jared, say something!"

 

"Jen?" he whispered, his arms coming up and around Jensen's body. "What..." he sighed, "what took you so long?"

 

Jensen chuckled and tightened his hold on him. "It's only been like four hours man, we were beyond lucky with this shit," Jensen said with a pained laugh.

 

They pulled apart, Jensen looking at the huge purple knot on Jared's head. "That hurt?" he asked.

 

Jared sucked in a sharp breath of air. "Yeah, but not as much as my shoulder."

 

Jensen pulled Jared's shirt down and looked at the bloodied gauze. "He taped you up?"

 

Jared shook his head as Jensen helped him off of the floor. "No, he left all the stuff in here so I could patch myself up."

 

"You...you stitched it up and everything? Without something to numb it?"

 

"Yeah, it was that or bleed to death. The bullet went through, so..." Jared shrugged.

 

"Why would he want to do that?" Jensen frowned.

 

Jensen walked Jared over to a chair and made him sit down. "I asked him that myself. He said he wanted to keep me alive to fuck with you."

 

"I'm gonna kill that bastard," Jensen said, gritting his teeth.

 

"No, you're not. You're gonna arrest him and let the system deal with it."

 

Then they heard a scuffle downstairs. The sounds of men fighting and things being crashed into, two loud voices shouting and screaming at one another. Jensen moved to the door and leaned around it, then made his way to the stairs, gun drawn. Jared was close behind him. "Go back upstairs. He sees you, he'll probably shoot."

 

"No," Jared said simply and continued to follow him.

 

Jensen got to the bottom stair and rounded the corner just as Powell pressed the trigger on his gun, a bullet tearing from it and hitting Cross, sending his body flailing back onto the floor.

 

Jensen yelled out "NO!" at the top of his lungs and surged forward. Powell turned and kicked the gun out of Jensen's hand, causing it to skitter across the floor and lodge under a large and very heavy looking China cabinet.

 

Jared rushed to the cabinet to try and grab the gun as Jensen bent at the waist and rammed into Powell, his shoulder slamming into the man's stomach, effectively knocking him to the ground, his gun also sliding across the floor.

 

Jensen straddled Andy's body and he balled up his fist and smashed it against his face, breaking his nose with the first hit...but Jensen didn't stop there.

 

He hit him three more times, Andy's head snapping to the side from each blow.

 

"Jensen..." he gasped. "Stop, please!"

 

Jensen hit him again.

 

Andy raised his leg, his knee slamming into Jensen's balls. Hard.

 

A loud breath of air left Jensen's mouth along with a somewhat stiffled cry and his body fell to the side and onto the floor.

 

Andy stood up, wiping his gushing nose on his sleeve. He drew back his leg and kicked Jensen in the ribs. "I loved you!" he shouted, drawing his foot back and kicking him again. "And all you did was ignore me, ignore my advances. You had to know, there's no way that you didn't know how I felt about you!"

 

Jensen rolled away from him, hoping to get away from Andy's feet before he was so out of breath from the blows that he couldn't breathe or move.

 

"Why won't you just see it, Jensen?" he said walking toward him. He squatted down and said, "You know that you love me. You know that we're meant to be together..."

 

Jensen mustered up enough strength to get to his knees, Andy helping him to stand. Jensen shoved him away. "Get the fuck off of me!" he shouted, shoving him even harder. "Don't you touch me you crazy fucking psycho!"

 

Andy's face contorted in such a way that showed that he was far, far from rational thought. He made to jump forward when a gunshot rang through the air, the bullet passing by Powell's ear, just barely grazing the meat.

 

He turned around and saw Jared standing there holding Jensen's gun. An evil look spread across his face, head tilting down slightly and smiled. "You missed..." he growled.

 

"On purpose..." Jared said. "Move again," he said, his hand shaking slightly.

 

Andy jumped up and screamed out a sound that resembled an Indian War Cry and ran toward Jared, his feet pounding on the filthy floor.

 

Jared's finger toyed with the trigger on the gun. He didn't really want to shoot him, mainly because this was the first time that he'd ever held a gun in his hands and he didn't really miss Powell on purpose. He was petrified, in fact. Not of Powell, just that his bad aim could actually hit and kill Jensen.

 

Three shots filled the air and Powell stopped just shy of a foot from Jared. The look on his face was one of disbelief more than it was of pain, being that he was shot in the back.

 

He arched back and groaned, falling to his knees, his ass falling back to rest on the backs of his calves, and then finally falling to the side.

 

Jared looked across the floor and saw Cross standing, blood staining the front of his shirt, a small trickle oozing from his mouth. "Stupid little prick," he gasped out stumbling toward Jensen. "You ok?"

 

Jensen grimmaced slightly; he knew that he probably had a few broken ribs and he felt like his fist was going to fall off, but he forced out, "Yeah, are you ok?"

 

Cross nodded. "I'll live. Jared?"

 

"Yeah...I'm good."

 

"I know you're good, kid. If we're ever in a situation like this again, and you hestitate...I'll shoot you myself."

 

Jared gave a half-hearted smile and nodded his head. "Got it. Now come over here and sit down and let me look at your ...whatever he shot."

 

"It's in my shoulder," he complained. "And there ain't shit you can do for it here, let's just wait till we get to the hospital, ok?"

 

Jared already had Jensen's cell out of his pocket and was calling an ambulance.

 

Jensen walked over to stand beside Cross, who was looking down at Andy's unmoving body.

 

"He dead?"

 

Cross took his foot and poked at Andy a few times, then knelt, pressing his fingers to his jugular. "Yeah."

 

"You ok?" Jensen asked.

 

"Yeah kid, I'm ok."

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

They both walked to their house slowly and entered, shutting the door and locking it behind them.

 

"Damn," Jared said, taking in the sight of the mess that was going to be waiting for them in the morning. 

 

"Yeah," Jensen said..."this'll take hours."

 

"At least."

 

Jensen looked down and shoved his hands into his pockets, "Jared..." he started. "About our fight..."

 

Jared walked over and wrapped his arms around him and kissed him chastely. "It's ok, Jen. I'm sorry I was a jerk. I know that it wasn't fair of me to do that, and I'm sorry. I've run out on you several times throughout our relationship because a donor heart or kidney came in, and you've never said anything. I'm sorry, I guess that I was just being selfish."

 

Jensen wrapped his arms around him in return and kissed him back, only this one was deeper and longer. "Let's say we go get naked?"

 

Jared laughed. "Jen, as much as I would love to pull you down on top of me and ravish you all night, I just," he said shaking his head, "don't think I have it in me. After all the stress of finding the gun, then you getting out, then me getting shot and kidnapped - and then getting my," he chuckled and nodded to his wound, "apparent bad job of stitching myself up...and giving a deposition about everything that happened...I just wanna sleep, man."

 

Jensen smiled. "Ok, I can live with that," he said, shutting off the main light. Together they went down the hall and into their bedroom.

 

"So, Cross is gonna be ok, yeah?" Jared asked.

 

"Yeah," Jensen said, pulling his shirt off and tossing it to the floor. "He'll be out about six weeks, about the same for me with three broken ribs," he said, tugging at the tape that was tightly wrapped against his skin.

 

"Yeah, they told me that they didn't want me back for at least six weeks, either," Jared said, pulling off the blue scrub shirt that he'd put on after the stitches he'd done had been pulled out and he'd been restitched.

 

"Jen?" Jared said as he unbuckled his pants and let them drop to the floor and watching Jensen do the same.

 

"Hmm?"

 

"What I said doesn't mean that I won't want to fool around in the morning..." he said, crawling under the covers.

 

Jensen crawled in after him and turned on his side, his arm draped his across Jared's waist, and let his head come to rest on Jared's chest. "Sounds like a plan, baby...sounds like a plan."

 

Jensen smiled when Jared's arm came up around him and he pulled him even closer. He turned his head and snuggled agaist Jensen's. He smiled even broader when he heard that Jared's breathing had already evened out, and let the sound of his soft breaths and warm body pull him into a deep slumber.

 

 

~the end


End file.
